On this week’s episode of Dawn of Autonomy, we continue our “Public Safety” month, sponsored by Viasat, with guest BJ McClenton, Associate Director of ASSUREd Safe at ASSURE. ASSURE the Alliance for System Safety of UAS through Research Excellence is the is the FAA’s Center of Excellence for UAS , and BJ shares how rigorous research, structured testing, safety analysis, and proper training are making unmanned operations safer and more reliable for high-stakes public safety missions, from disaster response and wildfire monitoring to law enforcement and emergency management. In this episode, BJ explains how ASSURE and ASSUREd Safe evaluate new UAS technologies under realistic conditions, develop data-driven safety frameworks, and work alongside the FAA, FEMA and NIST to turn innovative concepts into structured training programs that can be trusted in shared airspace. He also discusses how test results and risk assessments feed into standards, guidance, and best practices that help agencies adopt drones and advanced air mobility solutions with confidence. Tune in to hear how this collaborative, evidence-based approach is shaping the next generation of public safety UAS first responders and advanced air mobility, ensuring new capabilities arrive in the field with validated performance, clear safety cases, and strong alignment with regulatory expectations.
